…4,800 farmers were trained in modern technologies, 21,000 hectares of agricultural land were cultivated
The Oyo State government says it has made significant progress in food production through deliberate agricultural interventions that have reduced food prices and increased the productivity of farmers across the state.
The state has made massive gains in agricultural production in the last three years, thanks to the continuous investment by the present administration in mechanized farming, seed distribution, fertilizer assistance and training of farmers.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaye, disclosed this while receiving in his office the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, who paid him a courtesy visit on his birthday.
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According to him, the prices of major food items have fallen drastically due to the continuous agricultural programs of the government. “Three years ago the price of cassava was about N600,000 per truck, but today it is less than N150,000 because of the massive investment in agriculture by this administration,” he said.
The commissioner highlighted four major interventions that have transformed the agricultural landscape of the state, including the distribution of 65,000 bundles of cassava stem to farmers, provision of hybrid and high yielding seeds, free fertilizer supply and the tractorization program of the state.
Under the tractorisation initiative, the government bears 50 per cent of the cost of tillage for farmers. “If a farmer intends to cultivate 20 acres of land, the government pays for 10 acres. This means that people who could earlier cultivate only 10 acres of land are now able to cultivate 20 acres of land. This has resulted in massive food production across the state.”
Olale said more than 7,000 farmers have benefited from this year's round of government-backed mechanized farming, with over 21,000 hectares of farmland cultivated so far this year compared to 6,000 hectares last year.
He also informed that more than 12,000 bags of fertilizers have been distributed free of cost to the farmers, benefiting around 6,000 farmers. Depending on the size of their farm, beneficiaries received two to five bags each.
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“By removing the burden of fertilizer and tillage costs, the government has made farming easier and cheaper. This has helped farmers expand their operations and reduce production costs,” he said.
Furthermore, the commissioner said that between November and April, about 4,800 farmers were trained on modern farming techniques, including proper seed timing, fertilizer application and pest control, which has improved both efficiency and yield.
Olaye also revealed that over 20,000 tonnes of cassava has been exported through the Ibarapa axis alone and this shows the government’s intention to implement a tax regime on exports.
He further revealed that the state has achieved remarkable success in animal husbandry after the free vaccination exercise for more than 120,000 cattle and 89,000 sheep and goats. “We have recorded a huge decline in livestock fertility this year and our farmers are smiling,” he said.
According to him, the ministry has also supported poultry and pig farmers through free distribution of animal feed.
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Speaking on the government's Social and Economic Recovery (SAFER) programme, Olaye said most of the agricultural interventions were designed as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal on citizens.
“The tractorization and input distribution initiative was designed as a response to the rising costs of transportation and food items following the removal of subsidies,” he said.
He said the government is strongly committed to sustaining the agricultural transformation agenda, stressing that the ultimate goal is to make Oyo State the leading food producing hub in Nigeria.
